I ran across the valley barefooted gazing up at the dragons and watching the tiny fairies go about gathering flowers. Sky, my horse ran around behind me. I like my life how it is, with grandma being queen, and me technically being the princess.
“Rosalina come here.”
I turn my head to see Grandma Polly, with old wrinkles, yet still so beautiful. “Yes, Grandma?”
“I want to tell you something you probably don’t know about.” Polly was standing by an ancient tree, looking at the dragon nests. I ran over, well more like skipped over.
“This tree has been standing here for hundreds of years, I’ve watched it grow. But now it’s your turn to care for the tree.”
“Grandma why me? You love this tree why are you no longer going to protect it?”
“Rosalina, I need you to protect it because my time has come to an end.” Polly started to fade away. “Here take the crown… you are the next heir, protect the tree with all costs. I love you Rose.” Polly was no longer visible
“No, Grandma come back! Don’t leave me.” I started to cry. She meant everything to me. Why did she choose this place to tell me?
I hopped on Sky, and slowly and sadly rode her towards the castle. A guard greeted me when I approached the gates.
“Your highness, may I ask where Queen Polly is?” asked the first guard at the gate.
I tried to hold my tears back, but they came running down my cheeks.
“Is something wrong Princess?” asked the second guard.
“P-Polly is dead, she handed me her crown.” I could feel the water running down my cheeks turn from a light drizzle to a full out rain shower. I got off Sky and started to walk towards the stalls.
“Rosalina, is there anyway we could help?” said the first guard
“There’s nothing we can do, the only thing she wished for was, to protect the ancient tree,” I said still crying.
I walked in the building. I was greeted with the maids before they could speak I told them “If your wondering where Polly is I will explain in a few minutes, please gather up the town, I need to tell them something,” I watched as the maids ran off to tell the guards the news. I ran up the stairs turned the hall and went towards the balcony and waited for the town to gather. When I thought they were all there I told them about Polly.
“I have gathered you here today to tell you about Polly.”
There was a long pause
“Polly has left us today, she handed me her crown and left me an important message that we should all help do,” I paused and took a deep breath holding back as much of the tears as I could. “Polly said that we should all protect the ancient tree that she has been protecting,” I looked down to see the crowd look over at the tree and then start to disperse. I turned away from the balcony and went over to Polly’s room. There were lots of photos of her and I on the walls. I took one off and went downstairs, The maids noticed me carrying the photo down the stairs.
“Excuse me Rose, may I ask where you are going with the picture?” said one of the maids
“I’m putting the picture with the tree. You can all grab a small photo of her and come along if you wish,” I continued walking down the stairs when I went out the door I looked behind to see the other maids following with photos. I lead them to the tree. We placed down the pictures one by one. It was as if we had our own miny funeral for her.
We heard the whistling of the wind, owls hooting, and I could feel the cold grass in between my toes. Once we got back to the castle I went to bed.
I woke up with the sun shining in my eyes, I got out of bed and went to my closet to get ready for the day. I ate breakfast like I normally did and headed towards the door to go horseback riding.
“Are you ready to meet the princes?” asked one of the maids
“The what? I’m going out horseback riding.”
Why would there be princes here? This made no sense.
“You have to choose a prince Rosalina, That is the rules. Are you ready to let them in?”
Before I could answer she pulled open the doors and the princes gathered inside. I ran outside trying to get to my horse. I got on Sky and was headed towards the gates but the guards closed them on me.
“Not so fast Rosalina,” said the first guard. The second one picked me up over his shoulder and carried me inside well the other guard was putting away my horse. When we got inside he locked the front doors on me.
I turned around all the princes and maids gathered a big circle so I couldn’t get out. I looked around and noticed the scaly grooves on the walls that Grandmother had them put up, because she loved dragons so much. I started to climb them, anything to get away. One of the maids jumped up and was hanging onto my leg. I looked around to see if there was a place for me to escape then I realized the lights for grand entrances must be around here somewhere. I kept climbing the maid let go and fell a little ways down. I was able to get in the lighting booth that was on the walls. I looked down to see the princes waiting for me, the guard who carried me in was now climbing the wall.
“Why are you doing this? What is the point behind all this?” I yelled down at them
“In order to be the queen you have to marry a prince, and the town needs a queen to make orders and decisions,” yelled up the maid who was tugging on my leg.
I looked around to see if there was anything useful in the booth. There was nothing helpful besides the lighting equipment. The guard was almost up I knew he wouldn’t let me leave, I knew the town was getting desperate for a new queen but I just wasn’t ready. I stood up on the edge of the booth and jumped. It felt amazing flying through the air. But whatever goes up has to come down. I could see everyone getting closer to me. I look down just as I was about to hit the floor. As soon as I could feel my toes on the cold hard ground I ran. Dodging the maids I ran outside. Surprisingly they didn’t follow, I walked up close to one of the trees and looked up to see the peaceful dragons soaring through the air.
When I reached the top I stood there watching the quiet valley and the dragons teaching their young to fly. Then I heard the scraping of bark, I look down to see one of the princes climbing the tree.
“What do you want?” I asked annoyed that he was following me.
“All I want to do is talk,” he replied in a gentle voice. He kept on climbing, when he reached the top he stood next to me, gazing out at the dragons. The moment felt weird, I didn’t know if I should talk to him, climb down, or stay with him.
“What’s your name?” I asked.
“My name is Taylor.”
“Taylor, do you want to go for a ride, you know, get away from the castle for a little?” after saying that sentence I felt weird, when I wanted to be alone all of a sudden I invited him to come with me.
“Sure, can I borrow a horse?”
“Do you know how to ride?” There was a slight chuckle from Taylor and I. We climbed down quietly making sure not to disturb the dragons. When I felt the grass tickle my toes I knew I reached the ground. I ran towards the stables with Taylor following right behind. I brought out Sky and Polly’s horse Cloud, who was white with a few gray splotches here and there. I handed him the rope to Cloud, followed by the saddle, then the reins. I got Sky ready. We climbed on and went towards the town.
As soon as we went in there I knew I made a mistake. I could hear people whispering saying stuff like “Is that the prince she’s going to marry?” or “Look at that cute couple.”
We continued through the town and ended up towards the wall that protected us from evil people and a few kingdoms.
When we got back to the castle we saw his carriage waiting for him we hopped off the horses, I put Sky and Cloud.
“Maybe we can meet again sometime?” He said, I didn’t know how to answer, because I think I like him, and I think he likes me, but I’m only 16 years old I’m not ready to get married, I knew I had to respond but I didn’t know what to say. So I said the first thing to come to my mind.
“Yes, that would be great,”
“Ok how about tomorrow, that is if your not busy,” he said in the same gentle tone
“That sounds amazing. I have to go, I will see you tomorrow.”
“Rosalina wait!” he ran up the steps towards me. I turn around looking into his eyes.
“Rosalina I want you to know this… I love you.” he gazed back at me in a loving way
“I love you too, but we shouldn’t tell anyone, I don’t want to disappoint anyone if it doesn’t work out. By the way, you can call me Rose if you’d like.”
“Ok, goodnight.”
I turn back for the door when I opened it I could see the maids huddled around by the door. When they were about to speak I went to the kitchen for dinner.
Larry, the chef greeted me nicely and handed me a plate with steak, mushrooms, and mashed potatoes.
“Thanks Larry,” I said right before I started to eat the food.
“It’s my pleasure Rose.”
When I finished dinner I went up to my room, climbed in bed, I looked over at my nightstand to see a small picture of me and grandma. I miss her so much, even though it has only been a day.
I woke up the next morning to hear a knock on my bedroom door.
“Rosalina! Somebody’s here to see you. He’s waiting downstairs.”
“Ok I will be down in a minute.” I quickly got dressed and went downstairs. Sure enough Taylor was downstairs waiting for me. He walked me outside, Sky and Cloud were already ready to go for a ride.
“So what should we do today?” I asked realising we didn’t talk about it.
“I have big plans, just get on Sky then follow me.”
“Ok, but first can we get some breakfast I’m starving.”
We rode the horses down to a small restaurant and got some pancakes and bacon.
After breakfast I continued to follow him around town, he looped back and headed to the tree. Not any tree, he went for the ancient tree. He got off his horse and looked up at the tree, I followed him.
“Rose, I haven’t stopped thinking about you, I want you in my life forever…” He knelt down on one knee and brought out a red velvet box. “Rose, will you marry me?” I didn’t know what to say. He knelt there with the box open staring at me.
“Isn’t it a little early we just met?”
“It is but still will you at least get engaged?”
“Fine.”
He put the ring on my finger and we went back to the castle.
“Rosalina there you are!” Screamed one of the maids “The poor princes have been waiting here for 3 hours! Go inside and greet them,” said one maid
“No need to, I already chose one.”
They looked confused so I showed them the ring that was shining in the sun. I ran inside and told them to go home (in a nice way). I showed Taylor around the castle. I introduced him to Larry, because Larry always felt like a father to me.
“Rose it’s getting dark out, I should go home. Do you want to move in with me? Or should I move in with you? What do you want to do?”
“Umm, I want to stay here, with the ancient tree, and the dragons.”
“Ok that sounds good with me.”
When he left I ate and went to bed as usual. In the middle of the night I was woken up by the maids.
“Sorry to wake you up but it’s a emergency somebody is about to cut down the tree!”
I jolted out of bed, ran for my closet to get dressed and ran outside one of the guards handed me a dagger. I cautiously ran up the trail to the ancient tree. The maids were right I saw him holding a axe, about to start chopping the tree. I ran at him with the dagger in my hand. I made a deep cut into the person’s arm that was holding the axe. He screamed in pain and dropped his axe. His arm fell limply at his side with blood coming out fast. He looked up at me it was Taylor. I dropped the dagger in shock
“I had to, I can’t deny a order from my dad. Dad hated Polly so I followed through and I’m now going to cut down the tree for once and for all.”
He grabbed a small hand knife out of his pants. I bent down to get my dagger, he lunged at me, I tried to dodge but it was too late. I could feel the blood oozing out of a hole in my chest.
Everything went dark than light. Am I dead or not? I’m able to open my eyes. I see a bright room, it’s familiar to me. I sit up and look around. I pick up a picture, that looks like me with someone, but not with Polly. I run down stairs, no royalty people, just my mom.
“Boy you slept in late today Rose,” she said while making pancakes. Wait was I dreaming the whole Fairy Castle thing? I run back upstairs and quickly hop in bed before the dream was gone I close my eyes, fall back asleep, I try to go back to the dream with me to soon be queen, but I got sucked into another, like a vacuum. I come falling into the dream, and let it take me away.